Sheffield students work with National Youth Orchestra in effort to inspire next generation of musical talent

Music students from Sheffield Springs Academy, in Arbourthorne, were joined by over 150 others from schools across the country on Sunday, September 22, to take part in an immersive workshop led by the National Youth Orchestra (NYO).

The Springs Academy students were on hand to host the day, working as ‘young promoters’ to allow them an authentic experience of arts management in which they were given the opportunity to work alongside elite musicians and the NYO team to help ensure the event was a success.

Max Heaton, a year 10 student at Sheffield Springs, said: “I enjoyed working behind the scenes to create such an amazing performance. I also enjoyed being part of a team to put on the event.”

The NYO Inspire Day also gave the visiting students the opportunity to experience the full orchestral experience.

During the interactive workshops and rehearsals, they all worked together and played in ensembles before showcasing what they had learnt in a performance for family and friends.

Head of Music Claire Durham said: “It has been wonderful to see how much the students have benefited from the day. Working alongside a live orchestra in our school has been really inspiring and the students now understand a lot more about opportunities both for musicians and the team who bring arts events to life.

“I was incredibly proud of how each and every student applied themselves and made sure they got the most out of this opportunity. It was also wonderful to see so many of our students and their families at the performance at the end of the day.

“Opportunities like this are part of our academy’s commitment to deliver an Education with Character. As an academy we constantly strive to develop our students’ talents and inspire them to try new things. The NYO Inspire Day is a perfect example of this and we look forward to opening up many more similar opportunities for our students.”

The day formed part of a series of events organised by the NYO which aim to inspire young people across the country to develop their musical talents and to further inspire the next generation to engage with the arts at all levels throughout school.